CURSED: FROM THE BEGINNING [D.M]

-(57) beige sun hat

ZILLIAH gets into the Headmaster's room and find the pensieve. She knows what it is because she has read about it. She approaches it with the flask in hand and pours the whole of it into the bowl. The magical liquid in it swivels around and she prepares herself by taking a deep breath before dunking her own head into it.

Soon she is taken to a dark and eerie night, a forest, a fire in the centre, and thousands of people all around it. The confusion in her dissipates as she sees Voldemort there, a baby in his hand.

That's her. Seconds away from being slit by the throat.

And as it happens, a thundering scream echoes through the night. Her mother. Bound by chains, helpless.

The people all around them fall to the ground one by one like pieces of wood being cut down.

The baby is thrown into the fire.

And she is revived in an instant, power drawn from Daphne, Tiara and Voldemort himself.

The scene dissolves into a dark room. Daphne holds the baby who's asleep in her arms, cradling her, kissing her, despite the tears streaming down her face.

The scene changes and she's in front of Sirius. Sirius changes into Dumbledore. Dumbledore changes into Lily Potter. Lily Potter changes into Severus.

The whole of it dissolves and Daphne is seen on her knees before Dumbledore. "Please", she mumbles, "I just want to see her one more time."

"We have a deal, Daphne. You know this won't be good for her."

"But-"

"And you have to find the potion. The elixir. The only thing that can help Zilliah."

"I know -"

"And you can't do it with her in your arms", Dumbledore says, making her rise from the ground. "She'll be safe with the Emersons. They're your people. Moreover, Sev will take care of her. You have nothing to worry about."

"She'll hate me", Daphne croaks out."She'll hate me for never being there."

"If she's anything like you, Daphne, she'll understand. I'm sure she will."

The scene dissolves and Daphne is sketching infant Zilliah in her sketchbook sitting in a dark cave, illuminated by the moon's glow. The scene dissolves and Daphne is watching toddler Zilliah ride her first bike with Ivan, from a far off distance, hidden. The scene dissolves and it's Daphne watching her at the King Cross Station- Zilliah pushing her luggage and making her way to the platform to board the train to Hogwarts. The scene dissolves and Daphne is at their apartment, in her own room, the same old sketchbook in her arms. She closes it and places it inside a drawer before walking across the hall and into Zilliah's room. She stands there by the door, watching Zilliah for a long long time.

The scene dissolves and Zilliah is sucked back into reality. And when she touches her cheeks, there are tears rolling down her face.

-

The memories Daphne has chosen to show her are vague. Very vague. But it still pricks at Zilliah's heart. It still makes her pull her knees to her chest and cry her heart out.

She has to see Daphne.

She has to know more. She has to know what this elixir is- the only thing that can save her- the sole thing that kept her from having a mother this whole time. She has a lot of unanswered questions. And she needs to see Daphne.

But she can't get out of this castle without Severus' help. She needs to find him first.

Running out of the Headmaster's room, she searches for Severus, everywhere. There's not a single student in sight that can help her. And then she realises that only means that they might be assembled at the Great Hall.

She feels weak. She feels diminished. Yet, she runs straight down the stairs to the Hall.

Profesor McGonagall stands at the entrance and when her eyes settle on Zilliah, her whole demeanor changes. "I thought you escaped", she says, her voice frantic.

"I need to see Severus", Zilliah mumbles back, ignoring her and making to go into the hall.

"Zilliah, no!", the professor shouts, trying to grab her before she steps into the hall. But she is a little too late as Zilliah is already running up to Severus who stands on top of the dias.

Every single head in the room spins around at her appearance. Whispers start breaking out.

Despite all this, she keeps Severus' face in sight and runs to him, even ignoring his eyes that silently tells her to turn back around. The Carrows beside him start snickering, a delightful expression falling over their faces.

Zilliah's eyes drop to Severus' hands for a millisecond.

The beige sun hat. Her mother's beige sun hat. It's in his hands.

She stops in her steps.

Is this some sort of a trick again?

Amycus Carrow breaks out into a loud laughter. "Your mother is dead, pretty girl", he says, shattering whatever hope was left in Zilliah. "You really thought you could hide forever from the Dark Lord?"

Alecto Carrow joins in on the laughter. "We know who you are, Zilliah", he smirks devilishly. "Zilliah Auclair."

She should feel scared. She should be running away right now. But she can't take her eyes off that sun hat in Snape's hands.

"You're lying", she says, her voice barely coming out. "My mother isn't- my mother can't be.."

"She is dead", Severus' voice is grave. It's final. It's her breaking point.

Zilliah can't control what happens next.

The power erupts out, her grief and her rage and her sadness all mixed up in it to give it a force it never had before.

She can't see. She can't think. There's only an unbearable amount of pain in her.

She can't comprehend anything. Not until she sees that blonde hair. Not until she locks her gaze with those silver eyes.

He invades her mind in an instant and speaks to her, "You can control this, Zilliah. You can, I know it."

"I can't", she croaks out, her magic forming waves around her- deathly waves. It could bring this whole castle to the ground. And everyone with it. That's how potent it was.

"You can, trust me", Draco whispers in her head. "Just breathe and try to calm yourselves, darling. I'm right here with you."

She tries. With every fibre in her, she tries. And she can feel the magic pulling back into her own self. But as it happens, she can only feel the pain in her increasing. Every bone, every nerve in her hurts. Her head feels like it's on the verge of explosion. It's unbearable. But there's nothing else she can do but bear the whole of it.

Hardly being able to register it, she is picked up by someone in a broom, the whole room suddenly filled with smoke. She tries to see who it is but her vision is too blurry. But she will never forget that voice, even when she's slipping away into unconsciousness, blanketed by an excruciating amount of pain.

"Hold on, cheesecake. You're alright."